March 2008 issue of Needle Tips offers many resources for childhood,
adolescent, and adult immunization

IAC recently mailed the latest issue of Needle
Tips (March 2008) to 190,000 health professionals and others who work in the
field of immunization. Packed with immunization and hepatitis resources for
health professionals, patients, and parents, the 24-page issue is well worth
downloading. All articles and education pieces, except editorials, have been
reviewed by immunization and hepatitis experts at CDC.

You can view selected articles from the table of contents below or download
the entire issue from the Web.

CDC published "Update: Recommendations from the
Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Regarding
Administration of Combination MMRV Vaccine" in the March 14
issue of MMWR. Portions of the article are reprinted below.

On February 27, 2008, new information was presented to the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding
the risk for febrile seizures among children aged 12-23 months
after administration of the combination measles, mumps, rubella,
and varicella (MMRV) vaccine (ProQuad, Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, New Jersey). This report summarizes current
knowledge regarding the risk for febrile seizures after MMRV
vaccination and presents updated ACIP recommendations that were
issued after presentation of the new information. These updated
recommendations remove ACIP's previous preference for
administering combination MMRV vaccine over separate injections
of equivalent component vaccines (i.e., measles, mumps, and
rubella [MMR] vaccine and varicella vaccine). . . .

Availability of MMRV vaccine currently is limited in the United
States because of manufacturing constraints unrelated to vaccine
safety or efficacy. MMRV vaccine is not expected to be widely
available before 2009; however, some clinics might have MMRV
vaccine in stock.

Consistent with ACIP General Recommendations on Immunization,
the 2007 ACIP recommendations for prevention of varicella
included a preference for use of combination MMRV vaccine over
separate injections of equivalent component vaccines (i.e., MMR
vaccine and varicella vaccine). At its February 27, 2008,
meeting, ACIP considered the preliminary results from the
Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) and Merck studies, which suggested
an increased risk for febrile seizures after the first dose of
MMRV vaccine. Given the availability of alternative options for
vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella and
the limited supply of MMRV vaccine, ACIP voted to change the
preference language for MMRV vaccine to read as follows:
"Combination MMRV vaccine is approved for use among healthy
children aged 12 months-12 years. MMRV vaccine is indicated for
simultaneous vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and
varicella. ACIP does not express a preference for use of MMRV
vaccine over separate injections of equivalent component
vaccines (i.e., MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine)." ACIP also
recommended establishing a work group to conduct in-depth
evaluation of the findings regarding the increased risk for
febrile seizures after the first dose of MMRV vaccine to present
for consideration of future policy options. CDC, FDA, and ACIP
will communicate updates and implement further necessary actions
based on these evaluations.

On March 13, CDC released interim editions of the
VISs for MMR
vaccine and varicella vaccine. The interim VIS for MMR vaccine
replaces the previous edition (dated 1/15/03); the interim VIS
for varicella vaccine replaces the previous edition (dated
1/10/07).

The interim VISs for MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine have been
updated to incorporate information about measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. This includes information about the
increased rates of certain adverse events such as febrile
seizures after MMRV vaccine administration. (IAC Express
editor's note: See story #2 above for information on changes to
ACIP's recommendations for giving MMRV vaccine.)

When giving MMRV vaccine, the new interim VISs should be used.
When giving MMR vaccine or varicella vaccine separately, the
previously published VISs may be used until stocks are depleted.

Important: Be sure to give influenza vaccine throughout the influenza
season--from now through spring

Influenza is currently circulating, and
vaccination should
continue from now until May. Visit the following websites often
to find the information you need to keep vaccinating. Both are
continually updated with the latest resources.

IAC recently made minor revisions to a
parent-education
resource, "All Kids Need Hepatitis B Shots!" and substantial
revisions to a professional-education resource, "Vaccine
Administration Record for Children and Teens."

March issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter now available
online

The March issue of Immunization Works, a monthly
email
newsletter published by CDC, is available on the website of the
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
(NCIRD). The newsletter offers members of the immunization
community non-proprietary information about current topics. CDC
encourages its wide dissemination.

The Front Page News article from the March issue is about
National Infant Immunization Week; similar information can be
found in article #8 of this issue of IAC Express. Various other
articles from the March issue of Immunization Works are covered
in this issue or in previous issues of IAC Express. Following is
the text of two articles we have not covered.

OTHER NEWS & SUMMARIES

MAINTAIN CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FOR MCV4: ACIP also voted
against recommending universal vaccination of children 2 years
through 10 years of age with meningococcal conjugate vaccine
(MCV4). This vote maintains the current recommendation to
vaccinate with MCV4 children at high risk 2 through 10 years
old, all children 11 through 18 years old, and adults at high
risk that are 19 years through 55 years old. For persons 2
through 55 years old, MCV4 is preferred; the meningococcal
polysaccharide vaccination (MPSV) is an acceptable alternative
if MCV4 is not available. Adults 56 years old and older at high
risk should receive MPSV.

MEETINGS, CONFERENCES & RESOURCES

NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINE SUMMIT: The 2008 National Influenza
Vaccine Summit (NIVS) will be held on May 12-13 in Atlanta, GA.
The National Influenza Vaccine Summit, co-sponsored by the
American Medical Association and the CDC, meets annually to
provide a forum for discussing influenza vaccine issues with
stakeholders from public, private and non-profit organizations.
For more information, please visit The National Influenza
Vaccine Summit Website.

Issues of Immunization Works are posted on CDC's Vaccines &
Immunizations website a few days after publication. To access
the March issue, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks Click on the
link titled "Mar" under the banner titled "2008 Newsletters
Available Online."

The CDC website recently posted an interactive
training program
for primary care practitioners. "Increasing Adult Vaccination
Rates: WhatWorks" gives each participant the opportunity to work
through a case study in a setting similar to the one the
participant works in. Continuing Education credits are
available.

National Infant Immunization Week scheduled for April 19-26; CDC's online
resources make it easy to promote

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an
annual observance
to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and celebrate the achievements of
immunization programs and their partners in promoting healthy
communities. Since 1994, NIIW has served as a call to action for
parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to ensure that
infants are fully immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable
diseases. This year NIIW will be held April 19-26.

During NIIW 2008, hundreds of communities across the United
States will join those in the Western Hemisphere and Europe to
celebrate Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) and European
Immunization Week. More than sixty countries around the world
will participate.

Please visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw for
additional resources on planning an NIIW event and to download
English and Spanish-language NIIW campaign materials including
print ads, radio public service announcements (PSAs), sample op-ed articles, and other public relations and planning tools. You
can also provide information on your 2008 NIIW activities/event
through this web page.

CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis is sponsoring a national
poster contest in honor of World Hepatitis Day, which will take
place on May 19.

Individual artists of amateur and professional status are
eligible to participate. Organizations who would like to submit
a group entry are also eligible. There are three categories
(General Viral Hepatitis Awareness, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis
C). Each individual or organization is allowed only one entry
per category. Posters may be computer-generated/enhanced or
handmade in any medium.

Submissions must be received by midnight Friday, April 18, 2008.
A grand prize of $1000 will be awarded to the best poster from
all the contest entries. A $250 prize will be awarded to the top
entry in each category. Winning posters will be featured on
CDC's website, printed, and distributed nationally.

Please tell colleagues, clients, family, and friends about the
contest and encourage them to submit an entry. If your
organization has a website or newsletter, please consider
promoting the contest via these channels.

The March 13 issue of Hep Express, an electronic
newsletter
published by IAC, is now available online. It is intended for
health professionals, program planners, and advocates involved
in prevention, screening, and treatment of viral hepatitis.

IAC Express has already covered some of the information
presented in the March 13 Hep Express; titles of articles we
have not yet covered follow.

For immunization coalitions: 165 coalitions have posted information on
www.izcoalitions.org--is yours one of them?

Since its 2002 launch date, IAC's
izcoalitions.org website
(http://www.izcoalitions.org) has posted information from 165
immunization coalitions. The site includes data from coalitions
at all levels (local, state, regional, and national) and of all
types, vaccine-specific as well as age-specific (childhood,
adult, senior).

This online database allows health professionals, immunization
advocates, parents, and others to contact specific coalitions to
find resources, share ideas, and form strategic partnerships.
Searches can be done by coalition name or geographic area.

Be sure your coalition is part of this powerful web-based
networking tool by logging on and checking for your coalition's
listing. If your coalition is not listed, sign up today. If
you're already signed up, and information about your coalition
has changed, be sure to update your listing to help us keep
izcoalitions.org current and accurate.

MMWR reports on progress Eastern Mediterranean made in reducing and
eliminating measles mortality during 1997-2007

CDC published "Progress Toward Measles Mortality
Reduction and
Elimination--Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1997-2007" in the
March 14 issue of MMWR. Portions of a summary made available to
the press are reprinted below.

Countries of the World Health Organization's Eastern
Mediterranean Region (EMR) have adopted in 1997 the goal to
eliminate indigenous measles by 2010. Measles immunization and
surveillance strategies have been developed and implemented to
help achieve that goal, as well as to reduce the measles-associated mortality in the region in accordance with the goal
set by the World Health Assembly in 2005 to achieve a 90 percent
reduction in global measles-associated mortality by 2010
compared to 2000. Despite facing significant challenges
including armed conflicts and civil strife in several countries,
the estimated number of measles-related deaths in the Eastern
Mediterranean Region (EMR) has decreased by more than 75 percent
since 2000. To sustain measles mortality reduction and to
achieve the regional measles elimination goal, all EMR countries
will need to achieve a high coverage with the first dose of
measles vaccine and with the second opportunity for measles
immunization offered either as a routine second dose and/or
provided through supplemental immunization activities (SIAs).

This website is supported in part by a cooperative agreement from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (Grant No. 5U38IP000290) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. The website content is the sole responsibility of IAC and does not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.